Mechanism for conveying and water-cooling tie-plates



July 24, 1928.

' u M. OVESTRUD MECHANISM Fon coNvYING AND WATER COOLING TIE PLATES Filed April 29, 1925 Patented July 24, 1928.

UNITED VSTAT i ,1,678,195 PATENT oFFICE. f

MELvIN OVESTRUD, or STILLWATER, MrNNnsOTA, AssrGNOR "To `frurIN cr'rYFonGE Le FOUNDRY cOi/rrANr,` or STILLWATER, MINNESOTA,` A CORPORATION OF MINNE- SOTA.

MECHANISM ron CONVEYING Ann WATER-comlive TIE-PLATES.

Aptiicanbneleaaiirn129, 1925.y `serial No. zama My invention relates toimprovements in mechanism for conveying tie-plates and cooling. them in-transitfrom a machine for ormingilthe same tol point `of disposition thereof in a car or `storage bin. f

.One form of tie-plate accommodated by the present improvement includes a' platform having a flange traversing the same, said flange'beingheated in the forming process and bentto pro-vide a jaw memberffor engaging the upper surface oit the base of a rail seatedon said platform. none method of forming this tie-plate, the final steps com prise the heating of thelange and the bendf l' ing. thereof. Rapid ,production `of these relatively heavy andbullry `articles necessitat-es their prompt removal from the place of construction asfby the disposition thereof incars vfor shipping or binsorl the storing thereon e y Being very hot during the bending ofthe flanges thereof, the gtiefplates must be cooled -to permit of the same immediately to be inspected, bundled `and placed in., cars or bins not proof against fire, and care vmust be taken that the metal be not hardened to too great an exten-t in thecooling of the tieplates, since an over hardened tiefplate cannot be relied uponto function as intended-- An Object of the present invention is to provide an `improved y.means liorf conveying heated tie-plates and substantially cooling them in transit Without `hardening the same indetriuiental degree.` A

Vith the foregoing `'a-nd'other .objects in view, which will appear in the p following description, the invention resides` in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in thedetails of construction hereinafter described and claimed. y y y In the drawingsJ Fig lis a planiview of a mechanism embodying my invention; Fig.

is avertical sectional. view taken Ona-reduced scale as compared with that oit Figi and as on the line 2"@ of saidfFig. il; Fig. 3 is a 4detail sectional viewy talrengon theline of 1 and Fig. l isa :perspective Viewillustrating a tie-plate of the type that the present mechanism is particularly designedto accommodate. H l,

i Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that the illustratedy embodim'entiof my invention in chicles kan inclined ktrough Ain the `form .of an Ibeain, the Web 10 ofthe Ibeam forming the bottom ofthe trough and the flanges 11 forming the sides thereof.` kTWO standardsB, C support the trough ;A,j the npperfend of each standard being socketed in bloss 12 on a yoke ,13,` the branches 13'" o'fiiivhich' are pivoted to the trough flanges 11.` iThe taller standard vB, Con'iprisesv telescoping members le, 15',theupper member 15` adjustable,vertically of the base member 1% to vary'the inclination of the troughvA.. Projectingirom eachen'dof the troughv .A are a pair ot brackets 16,` one bracket oifeach pair being secured to one of the flanges11and the other brachettoi each pair to thejother iange l1. An idlershaft i lcjournaled in the lo\ve1fbiaclcts 16, car-v rie'sa spi'oclret'l. rifdrive shaft `19, jourf` naledin the upperbracketsfl carries `a, second sprocket 2O and a powerfpulley'lv. Running oversaid sprockets 1820is an endiess chain litted with outwardly `project-ing linkA extensions523,v Said sprockets `18, 20 are located fit-h respect to the' trough rh so that the upper reach of the chain-29. travelson the vveblOofthe trough and near one of the vflanges 11,` thelOWer reach ofsaid chain hanging from the sproclretsf18,v QO'beneathfthetrough A. Carried over the up-A perend'ofthe trough A, in bracketslrisingirom one ofivtheriianges 11 thereof,;is a sprinkler nozzle r 25, the saine being connected with a Water feed `pipe 26 and adapttreugh A in substantial volume. y y

A1 formed tie-plate D (Figi 4i) passed `imymediately `from the ,press yfor bending the heated. flange thereof is placed yin the trough A, bent flange 26 downivaithwith 1onemargin of the` platform27- riding on the edge ed to'l slnayav-ater downwardly into the loiathe flange 11` adjacent the chain 22V' and o k,the other 4nnirginthereo riding on a Wearu ing rail n 28 jplaced' inthe anglevbjetiveen the `Web 10 andthe other flange 11. Thus disandthe hot bent flanges 26 ofthe tie-plates posed, the tie-plates l) `rest in `inclined posi- Y y hanging rin `the iow roi iwater Vdown the trough A. lIn practice" the; device `is arranged between a bei'iding pressand a ear 'orfbin` for receiving `formed tie-plates, the lower 'end of the trough A being` adjacent ytothe press and theupper end thereof overhanging a car or bin for receiving theforined tieplates. Power ris applied to the vpulley 2l to rotate the saine in a couiitercloclwise direction as seen in' Fig. 2. 'lhus turned,y the? rotation of said pulley 2l resultsinthe upward travel of the upper reachof the chain 22 in the trough A. Tie'plates I) stationed on the lower end of the troughA are carried upwardly thereon by the link extensions 23 on the chain 22, Y 'f y D The placing of tie-plates on the trough A and ybetween the link extensions 23 as said tie-plates issue from the forming press,'re.

sultskinia continuously advancing train of suchlplates y upwardly of the trough, lnew plates beingadded to the train at the bottom ofthe trough to replace those discharged therefrom at the upper end thereof. "Water sprinkled from the nozzle 25 onto the tieplates at the vupper end of the trough A yis caught by and flows downward throughsaid troughinto a drain pipe 29 at the lower end j thereof.4 Contacting' with the platesin its downwardtlow in t-he trough A, the water is heated thereby, the temperature of the water increasing as it approaches the lower` end ofthe trough. Underl these circumstances it will be seen .that the hottest plate is subjected tothe hottest water and, conversely, that the cooler the plate,the cooler the water applied thereto. VVith the speed of the chain 22 properly timed with regard claim as new and desire to to -tlieinclination of the trough A, the tieplates` issue, from the upperl endv of the trough,r without being detriinentally hardened, andcool enough to permit of'theha'nd-lingthereof or .the safe disposition of the same in a car or bin not proof against re.

. Changes-in the specific forni of inyinvention, .as herein disclosed, may be made within side of said trough to provide an unobstructed way in the trough in which the most highly heatedportionsof said objects may be disposed, and means for introducing water into said trough at the upper end thereof. c

2. In a device of the rclass described, an inclined trough, a conveyer occupying a limitedpait of the width of said trough for conductingobjects heated only at portions -thereofrfrom the bottom ofthe trough to `the top thereof with the portions of'said objects most highly heated disposed in that portionoftlie trough unobstructed by said -conveyer and means for introducing water tion thereof. f l

1 3. In a device of the class described, an inat the upper end of the trough into said poi"- clined trough, means for introducing water thereto atp-the upperl end thereof, a conveyer occupying a relatively sinall lateral portion of said trough for conducting objects heated only atportions thereof from the bottomr of the trough to theV top thereof with the 'portions of said objects most highly heated disposed inthat portion of the trough unobstructed by said conveyer. i

4. In yadevice for conveying and cooling objects heated at portionsthereof only, an inclined trough including a ybottom fand sides, a yconveyer relatively narrow yas compared to thefwidth of saidbottoin disposed within said trough near oneof the sides thereof to provide a freev space on the other side of said conveyer, said objects being arranged upon lsaid conveyer with the heated portions-thereofin the free yspace in said trough, and means'for lintroducing water at the upper end -of thetrough in said free space. y c, c c

5. In a device for conveying land cooling objects heated at* portions thereof only, an

linclined trough including a bottom and sides, a conveyer relatively narrow as coinvpared ,tov the'width of said bottom disposed within said trough near one of the sides thereof, a rsprinkler nozzle disposed at the upper end of said trough atthe side thereof opposite/said conveyer, said objectsbeing moved along said trough with the heated nozzle and opposite to said conveyer.

6. In a device for kconveying and cooling 'tie plates heated along a portion thereof, an

inclined trough including a bottom and' sides,`a conveyer relatively narrow as compared with said bottom rand disposed near one of the sides thereof to providek a free space along the other side of said trough, said trough being of ar width narrower than the tie plates, said tie plates being arranged yportions thereof in line with saidA sprinkler 'to ride upon the edge of said trough side near Asaid conveyer with the heated portions thereof extending into the free space in said trough, said trough and conveyerbeing so proportioned as to cause the conveyer to en-y gage said tie'plates substantially in aligiinient with -their centers of gravity, andr means tor discharging vwater into the free space within tion thereof.

7. In a device vfor conveying and cooling tie plates heated along ay portion thereof, an

inclined trough including' a bottom and sides, a conveyer relatively narrow as compared kwith said bottom and disposed near said trough yat the upper `por'- one of thesides thereof to provide a free spiace,y along vthe other lside of said trough, said trough being of a width narrower than thetie plates, said tie plates-being arranged yto ride upon the edge of said trough side near sald conveyer With the heated portions thereof extending into the free space 1n said i trough, said trough and eonveyer being so proportioned as to cause the Conveyer to engage said tie plates substantially in alignment with their centers of gravity, a Wearing rail disposed Within said trough at the bottom thereof adjacent said trough side opposite said eonveyer for supporting said l0 In testimony whereof, I have signed my 15 name to this specification.

MELVIN OVESTRUD. 

